Grant to help safety for Lorain walkers, cyclists

Sara Tillie, health education specialist for Lorain County Public Health, leads discussion about policy recommendations in the Lorain Active Transportation Plan in a planning meeting April 13, 2018, at the Lorain City School administrative office. Lorain County Public Health has scored almost $70,000 to pay for continuing efforts to improve safety for walkers and cyclists in the city.
Richard Payerchin — The Morning Journal

The Safety Council and other federal agencies have joined to raise public safety awareness and eliminate traffic deaths by 2050.

Lorain County Public Health was one of eight winners from 81 applicants seeking money to find innovative approaches to making roads safer.

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The local agency will work to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.

For more than a year, Lorain County Public Health has led a local coalition to create an Active Transportation Plan for Lorain. The plan will recommend road, sidewalk, traffic flow and other improvements over the next five years to improve safety for walkers and bicycle riders, especially students.

“We’re excited that our ideas for continued improvement to create safer roads were selected,” said Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell. “Many people rely on walking and biking to get to and from work, the corner store and school.

“Traveling by foot or bike also increases people’s physical activity levels, which is critical to prevent and manage many chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and arthritis.”

Nationally, traffic fatalities declined for a decade, but spiked 14 percent from 2014-16.

That was the largest two-year increase in more than 50 years, according to the National Safety Council.

There have been local crashes as well.

In the last five years, Lorain had 75 crashes involving a cyclist or walker.

“It is great to see how work on bicycle and pedestrian safety started small with an opportunity through local funding, but we are now being recognized on a national level for the collective commitment to innovation with partners to improve the health and safety of our residents,” said Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer.

The grant was announced in the April 13 meeting of the Lorain Active Transportation Plan group.

Local health workers said the money could a prelude to an announcement by ODOT awarding a grant to Lorain through the Safe Routes to School program.

With the plan in place, the Road to Zero Grant will help pay for formation of a Lorain Active Transportation Collaborative to guide and pay for future road safety projects.

In the meeting, Sara Tillie, health education specialist for Lorain County Public Health, reviewed a number of policy recommendations in the Active Transportation Plan.

The policy recommendations deal with ways to improve safety through help of local government, parents and schools.

Part of the effort will take place in two events next month.

• May 18, Lorain will have a Walk/Bike to School Day.

• May 19, Broadway will host the Lorain Better Block a street party that aims to show what a street looks like with bike lanes, better crosswalks, lighting and sidewalks, more seating and mini parks. There will be a beer garden, local vendors and pop-up shops.